Eleven years ago, when the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime, Trevor Linden got into Chris Chelios’s face after the winning goal and the pair tussled.

Chelios threw the first punch and, after the players were separated, accused Linden of covering up and refusing to fight. And that was the high point of their relationship. It has devolved the last two years as Chelios leads his crusade for justice within a National Hockey League Players’ Association that Linden, as the union’s former president, led through a labour war that scuttled the 2004-05 season.

Sunday, Linden seemed ready for the fight.

“It’s easy to pile on,” Linden said before facing Chelios and the Detroit Red Wings Sunday night at GM Place. “I will say this: I’m extremely proud of the decisions the [NHLPA] executive committee made. I think we made, in very difficult times, good decisions for the players.”

Former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, who turned his hand to U.S. golf ventures after his Canadian business empire crumbled, is liquidating the company he once hoped to turn into a leading supplier of high-end clubs.

Mr. Pocklington, chairman and co-owner of GolfGear International Inc., made the voluntary filing in bankruptcy court earlier this month in Nevada, where the company is incorporated. As a result of the filing, a lawsuit against Mr. Pocklington and other defendants has been temporarily placed on hold in the Superior Court of California, Orange County.

Even if the city and a mainly local group of investors seeking to buy the Predators agreed on a new arena lease as early as today, it may be too late for the NHL to approve a change of ownership by Wednesday.

That’s when the period of exclusive negotiations between the local group and Predators owner Craig Leipold expires.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said he was “not sure” if the league would have enough time to approve an ownership change by Wednesday.

“But everyone’s primary focus should be getting a deal done there, and then we’ll deal with approval,’’ Daly said.

You know, it takes a certain brand of ignorance to blame Gary Lenore Bettman every time I have to stay up late. If we were in the Eastern Conference, as baby Jesus intended, there would still be at least one trip to the Provinces each year. But this one’s easy. Twice in a span of three weeks? Yeah, I’m awake. But I’m pissed about it. Your Far West live blog starts now.

“Bruins’ defenceman [Andrew Ference] spoke about the bigger issue: How players need to know they’re carrying the fate of others in their hands.“It’s not Philadelphia,” he said. “I don’t think Philly is a team of goons and no coach is telling his players to go out and paralyze someone. It’s up to the guys on the ice to be responsible, and if they’re not, then they have to pay the price.

“There’s always talk about a lack of respect [among NHL players],” Ference added, “but the biggest question is if guys understand how much trust is involved in playing hockey – trust between you and your opponent. You’re trusting players coming down won’t do that to you and you won’t do that to them. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”

There are those who are waiting for the NHL to throw the book at Philadelphia’s Randy Jones for his hit on Boston’s Patrice Bergeron.

There are those who are talking about what sanctions the league should impose on the Flyer organization, in the wake of illegal hits by Steve Downie, Jesse Boulerice and now Jones.

And there are those who are likely to be disappointed.

The NHL has yet to rule on Jones, and won’t do or say anything publicly Sunday, but if the reaction around the league from other GMs, coaches and players is any indication, Jones is not likely to be on the receiving end of a monster suspension, if he’s suspended at all.

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